Plans afoot to refine national budgeting process

Aug 08, 2017 News

In addition to presenting the national budget for 2018 before the new year begins, the Ministry of Finance will be putting systems in place to refine the budgeting process.
It was explained in the mid-year report of 2017 that as preparations are underway to commence consultations on Budget 2018, refinement to budgeting processes remains an on-going exercise so as to improve the quality of the budget submissions and discussions. In addition, the report mentioned that special software to support budgeting is being piloted with the Ministries of Public Health and Finance to support results-based discussions.
Further efforts include continued training on budget preparation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting, which resulted in over 100 officers being trained in the design of theories of change and performance indicators. According to the report this was done in an effort to promote a more results-based approach. It was stated in the half-year report that the government remains steadfast in its commitment to reform the public systems in order to improve functionality and delivery of services in keeping with its promise of providing a good life for Guyanese.
“In this regard a results-based management system continues to be instituted across central government with greater emphasis on areas of demonstrated weakness and where capacity gaps exist.”
Moreover, government’s aim at conducting evidence-based decisions does not stop there. The report said that a number of initiatives have been undertaken at the level of the Bureau of Statistics.
“These initiatives included the launch of a nationwide continuous Labour Force Survey, the continuation of preparations for the launch of an all-urban Consumer Price Index by end-2017, the publication of all remaining Compendiums to complete all work of analysis on the database that constituted Census 2012 and the establishment of a Poverty Measurement and Analysis Unit.”
Additionally, the report said that in the area of treasury management, support has been requested from the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) to review the structure of the Accountant General’s Department. It is expected that during this process recommendations will be made on how to improve on the efficiency and effectiveness of the units, cash management, financial reporting and use of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).
Further, in the area of Public Administration and Public Financial Management, the mid-year report said that the public procurement procedure is one area that has been on the front burner for reform.
The document noted that the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) has been a commendable achievement in that regard in order to achieve transparency and accountability in the public procurement process.
To improve the system, it was decided that all evaluators will be paid so as to encourage an expansion of the available pool of evaluators. In addition, the Finance Ministry said that the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supplies (CIPS) completed the first component of training in procurement concepts and methodologies.
The remaining components of this training are expected to be completed in the second half of this year.

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